The Nigeria High Commission, London collaborated with the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) to host an award ceremony in honour of some outstanding ARCAN members on Monday 13 June 2022.
The colourful ceremony, which was attended by some of Nigeria’s renowned diplomats, was simultaneously hosted in Abuja, Lagos and London.
The event featured the presentation of three categories of awards: Lifetime Achievement; Posthumous; and Special Category. Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Chief Philip Asiodu were presented with two Special Categories awards and two posthumous awards were presented to Amb. Leslie Harriman and Amb. George Dove-Edwin.
The London ceremony that was held at the Conference Hall of the Nigeria High Commission, commenced with the welcome remarks by the Deputy High Commissioner, Amb. Suleiman Sani. He welcomed the awardees and other invited guests to the event, highlighting that the event was organised to honour ARCAN members who had contributed to the formulation, articulation, and implementation of Nigeria’s foreign policy. He recalled the tales of how these awardees had set the standards for discipline and espirit de corps, which, he noted, had become a reference point for emulation by Nigerian Foreign Service Officers. He further congratulated ARCAN for the brilliant initiative of the award ceremony.
The ceremony in London proceeded with the presentation of awards to the awardees alongside Lagos branch of ARCAN and other virtual attendees. The presentation commenced with reading of citations of the awardees.
Amb. Joseph Ayalogu (Member of ARCAN) read the citation of Chief Emeka Anyaoku and that of Chief Philip Asiodu, was read by Amb. Abdul Rimdap, (Member of ARCAN), both were recipients of the Special Category Awards.
Ambassador Cyprian Heen, Minister/Head (Political Affairs Section) read the citation for Ambassador George Dove-Edwin, a Posthumous Awards recipient, while Mr. S. D. Muhammad, Minister/Chief of Protocol read that of Amb. Leslie Harriman the second recipient.
Following the reading of the citations, the High Commissioner, His Excellency, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, presented the awards to the two special category awardees, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Chief Philip Asiodu. The posthumous awards, was presented to the wife of late Amb. George Dove-Edwin, Mrs. Norma Dove-Edwin and thereafter, to the son and daughter of late Amb. Leslie Harriman, Anthony and Josephine Leslie Harriman.
Giving a response on behalf of the awardees, Chief Emeka Anyaoku began by requesting a minute of silence for the posthumous awardees. He thereafter saluted the President of ARCAN, Amb. J. K. Shinkaiye, the doyen of ARCAN, Amb. Ignatius Olisemeka and the Chairman of the ARCAN Programme Committee, Amb. Joe Keshi for organising the programme.
He thanked ARCAN, on behalf of the awardees, for deeming the recipients worthy of the awards. He also thanked the High Commissioner, Deputy High Commissioner and the entire staff of the Mission for hosting the ceremony on a day declared as public holiday. He thereafter recalled his working relationship with each awardee and reiterated his appreciation to ARCAN for their impeccable judgement in selecting the awardees.
Having had the privilege of knowing and working with the recipients over the years, he gave brief remarks on each recipient. He stated that during his posting to Nigeria’s Permanent Mission in New York, his colleagues in New York continued to bask in the impact of Chief Philip Asiodu’s service to Nigeria at the United Nations. He added that he had subsequently followed, with admiration, the trajectory of Chief Asiodu’s career to becoming one of the super permanent secretaries and a Minister in the interim government of Late Chief Ernest Shonekan.
Speaking on late Amb. Dove-Edwin, he informed that he had worked with the former as one of the Director-Generals who subsequently became the Permanent Secretary during his brief tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs. As Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, he said he knew Amb. Dove Edwin as the most distinguished High Commissioner to the Court of St. James’s who achieved a rare relationship with the British Government including the then British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who referred to him on first-name basis “George”.
Chief Anyaoku stated that late Amb. Leslie Harriman brought immense glory to Nigeria as an outstanding Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, adding that he played a significant role in the Nigerian government campaign that helped him defeat a seven and half-year former Prime Minister of Australia in the competition for the office of the Secretary-General of Commonwealth.
Furthermore, Chief Anyaoku complimented ARCAN for its very existence as a platform for harnessing the cumulative practical experience of Nigerian men and women who devoted their careers to the service of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy. He also appreciated ARCAN for continuing to contribute to the articulation and operation of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy through publications and occasional meetings with officials of government. He expressed belief that members of ARCAN would join him in wishing for Nigeria’s return to the period when Nigeria, through its domestic and foreign policies, was a pride of Africa and black peoples all around the world.
In giving the closing remarks, the High Commissioner recalled that the honourees were individuals that graced the literature of books read in schools and were names that resonated in current affairs used for interviews/examinations. He highlighted the importance of always celebrating the efforts of Nigerian heroes, who were always universally acknowledged. He mentioned that the honourees were world citizens and expressed hope that other distinguished Nigerians would be honoured as well. He therefore congratulated the families of the honourees being awarded posthumously and also congratulated the special category awardees for having the opportunity to be present at the occasion. He commended ARCAN and other organisers for putting together a historic event.
Giving the vote of thanks, Amb. Joseph Ayalogu thanked the High Commissioner and the entire staff of the High Commission for making the event possible.
In an official letter of appreciation to the Nigeria High Commission London, the President of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN), Amb. John K Shinkaiye OFR on behalf of the association, awardees and their families expressed their sincere and deep appreciation for the personal participation of the High Commissioner, His Excellency, Sarafa Tunji Isola in the award ceremony. He also extended their appreciation to the Deputy High Commissioner, Amb. Suleiman Sani as well as to all the staff of the Mission including the technical crew that seamlessly linked them live with the main programme in Abuja. He expressed his delight and look forward to future collaboration between ARCAN and the Nigeria High Commission London.
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